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Thursday, July 28, 2011

Karl Strauss Review (Carlsbad Restaurants)


Pricing:
There's actually a wide range on their menu.  Most of the burger/sandwich/pasta dishes are about $10-15.  But you can definitely go all out with steak which ranges from $25-32 depending on the cut.  The beer is about $6 a glass.  Every Thursday is cask night and the price of beer is reduced to $4.

Distance:
There are several locations around San Diego.  The most convenient one for Encinitas residents is the restaurant in Carlsbad.  It's not too far off the Palomar Airport Rd. exit.  Right past the flower fields.  Provided there is no traffic, it takes about 15-20 minutes to get there.

Thoughts:
I love this place.  The food is always just so consistently good.  The laid back "brewery" environment  makes for a fun going out to eat event.  The Carlsbad location always has people in it, but there's almost never a long wait.  Compared to Stone Brewery where you have to kick your heels for well over thirty minutes on any given night, I find this to be an excellent feature.

While pretty much everything on their menu is good, the steak outshines them all.  When I want a good steak, I go to Karl Strauss.  They actually cook the steak the way that you request it.  No medium-rare that looks suspiciously like a medium-well situations.  Plus they have a really tasty beer-based steak sauce they drizzle on top.

The beer is a little more expensive than if you were going to a bar and ordering a Bud.  But that's because the beer they serve actually has flavor and alcohol content.  Most of the beers served on tap are tried and true classics that you can also purchase in the stores: Amber Lager, Red Trolley, Endless Summer, etc.  On any given night they will also have what's called the "tenth tap" which is their seasonal special.  In addition to the tenth tap, they will do cask night every Thursday.  The cask beer is served until it runs out (one night, basically).  If there's any cask beer left by Saturday, you're either very lucky or the beer wasn't a hit.

So while Karl Strauss lacks the enormous beer selection that Stone Brewery sports, I find the experience as a whole to be a much more enjoyable one.  No wait, better food and good beers.  

Monday, July 25, 2011

Love Boat Sushi Review (San Marcos Restaurants)


Pricing:
Each of the Sushi rolls cost about $8-15.  You can get Japanese entrees that are in the $15 range.  But, let's face it, you go to a joint like this for the Sushi.  And the sake.  Sake is good.

Distance:
There are three Love Boat Sushi restaurants in San Diego.  I'm biased, but the San Marcos restaurant is the best.  From Encinitas, it takes about 20 minutes to drive to this branch.

Thoughts:
For a city that prides itself on being surf-town cool and, well, not land-locked, good sushi can be surprisingly hard to find in San Diego much less North County.  As I see it, sushi generally falls into one of two categories in this neck of America’s finest city:

1)  Really cheap pre-made stuff that has been kept in a fridge for lord knows how many days.

2)  Really expensive pre-made stuff served in smaller portions that has been kept in a fridge for lord knows how many days.

The silver lining to this sad tale is that there are exceptions to this rule and Love Boat Sushi is most definitely one of them.  Love Boat serves fantastic, FRESH sushi for a very reasonable price.  The food is actually filling which, for me, is a major plus.  All too often have I had a friend invite me “for sushi” and I inwardly cringe and decide if I want to eat fast food before or after my sushi snack.

The only downside to this restaurant is that it's really chaotic.  Expect a 45 minute wait on Fri/Sat evening.  With strobe light happy birthday songs and the chefs constantly calling out for sake bombs, it's a wonder that anything gets done or that more fingers haven't been lost.  However, all the servers are so entertaining that you find yourself happily issuing out a large tip by the end of your night.

Wednesday, July 20, 2011

Golden Baked Ham Review (Encinitas Restaurants)


Pricing:
The sandwiches range from $4-8 depending on what size you get.  Plus, there's a plethora of macaroni/potato salad/soup sides to choose from that are about $3 each.  Whole hams may be purchased for parties.

Distance:
An Encinitas restaurant.  Right by the El Camino Real/Encinitas Blvd. intersection.  5-10 minute drive.

Thoughts:
A hidden gem in Encinitas.  It's the kind of place that no one notices as they drive by but once you've had their food, you're a customer for life.  The sub sandwiches are, in my opinion, the best in town.  There are tons of choices and all the ingredients are fresh (they make all of their soups from scratch).  Plus, you get a heckofalot of food for your money.

The party platters are also excellent.  In my family, it makes for a really easy dinner.  You get a half ham and a few sides and then serve it with a salad at home.  If you want to order something for the holidays, be sure to call in early.  They get swamped there at Christmas and Easter and will be literally sold out.

The staff there are all quite friendly.  It's the kind of place where they remember your name after you frequent their place a few times.  It does get busy around lunchtime, but there are always seats available for dine-in.  Much more laid back than some of the more high traffic lunch hot spots around here.

Monday, July 18, 2011

Trattoria I Trulli Review (Encinitas Restaurants)


Pricing:
Most of the entrees range about $15-22.  The appetizers are $8-10.  If you want to get wine it's going to be about $8 a glass or $28 for the bottle.  They don't have a very expensive corking fee here, so it's actually worth it to bring your own bottle.

Distance:
An Encinitas restaurant.  Right on the Highway 101.  5-10 minutes away if you're a local Encinitas resident.

Thoughts:
A fun restaurant with a relaxed date night environment.  Trattoria I Trulli could best be described as a “hole in the wall” dining experience with limited seating (make a reservation early!) but seemingly endless amounts of good food selections.  The menu covers the basic lasagna/fettuccini alfredo/chicken parmesan type options for the unadventurous souls.  But tossed in with these tried and true dishes are some really nice choices for the more discerning pallet.

Though slightly more pricey than an evening at Bucca di Beppo or Borelli’s, Trulli definitely compensates in flavor and overall food quality.  You’ll leave this charming little establishment feeling satisfied from a good meal; not stuffed from consuming daunting heaps of mediocre pasta. 

Friday, July 15, 2011

Blue Ribbon Artisan Pizzeria Review (Encinitas Restaurants)


Pricing:
The appetizers are about $10-12.  For the actual pizza entree, expect to fork over at least $15.  The beer and wine is about $6-12 a glass.

Distance:
An Encinitas restaurant.  On the Highway 101.  5-10 minute drive for most Encinitas locals.

Thoughts:
To me, "artisan" has become synonymous with "overpriced" these days.  But I will give this place credit for all their attempts to mask the pricey-ness with trendiness.  Instead of having actual monetary values on the menu they list numbers such as 15 1/2.  The tap water is given to you in a preserve jar (which is cool...?).  There's a huge chalk board on one of the walls explaining how the sausage they serve is handmade and sustainable (as opposed to non-sustainable sausage).

But all these things are nitpicking details.  As far as a dining experience goes, it's not terrible.  Half of the menu is comprised of salads that will require a knife to eat (because breaking up lettuce leaves is not trendy).  The other half consists of artisan pizza.  While sparse, the options are standard enough to please most people.

The food is good and I have to say that I enjoyed their small brewery selection of beer.  The general atmosphere makes this place a good date night choice.  But at $15 1/2 for a personal sized pizza, I can't help but wonder if Sammy's Woodfire wouldn't have been the better choice.

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

Five Guys Review (Encinitas Restaurants)


Pricing:
This place is tricky.  On one side of the menu they list the usual "hamburger" or "cheeseburger."  On the other side they list "little hamburger" or "little cheeseburger."  Don't be fooled.  Their "regular" food actually consists of a two patty burger and is a very sneaky way of up-selling you an $8 burger rather than just buying a regular one patty "little" burger for $5.  Fries and a drink are sold separately.  If you buy the whole burger/fry/drink experience, expect to spend about $12.

Distance:
An Encinitas restaurant.  Very close to the Encinitas Blvd./El Camino Real intersection.  5-10 minute drive for most Encinitas folk.

Thoughts:
So after years of Encinitas clamoring for an In-and-Out they finally give us... Five Guys.  It's practically the same thing, right?  Arguable.  It's the same thing in that it's a step up from Burger King.  But with unlimited peanut snacks and a space-age soda machine, Five Guys is definitely its own unique experience.  It seems to specialize in having 5 bajillion toppings you could potentially add to your burger and 10 bajillion employees trying to actually make it.

The food is actually pretty good.  The burger is dripping in a satisfying amount of grease and if you get the cajun style fries, your salt allotment for the month will be taken care of.  Despite being a hair more pricey than In-and-Out, this place is fun to go to on its own merit.  Plus, if you live in Encinitas, it definitely has the advantage of being conveniently close.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens Review (Escondido Restaurants)


Pricing:
While you can find a few bargain dishes, realistically you are looking to spend about $12-25 per plate for dinner.  The beer averages about $8-10 a glass.

Distance:
An Escondido restaurant.  Takes about 30 minutes to get to from Encinitas.  If you go on a Friday or Saturday night, expect freeway traffic.

Thoughts:
It should be clearly understood that Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens (Stone Brewery) is an event, not a restaurant.  This fact is blaringly obvious from almost the first moment you open the door and enter their gift shop, not the dining establishment itself.  Racks of Stone Brewery paraphernalia from sweatshirts to shot glasses must be passed by before one could even consider putting a name down for dinner.

If you manage to make it out of the gift shop unscathed, putting your name on their waiting list should be done with all possible haste.  Since reservations or call-ins are not allowed at this venue, the wait is about forty-five minutes to an hour on almost any given evening.  On a Friday or Saturday night, expect an hour and a half wait.

Once actually seated, the dining experience has both good points and bad points.  Stone Brewery obviously put great care into creating their atmosphere.  Lush foliage, romantic lighting, rustic furniture and beautiful stone walls coupled with the ever present hum of conversation makes you feel like you’re actually “going out on the town.” 

The menu presents a variety of dishes but is somewhat baffling to read.  In an effort to be creative and funny, the menu writers decided to forgo the traditional section titles such as “appetizers,” “entrees, or “desserts.” Instead, they clump together your selections like classified ads and head them with confusing labels such as “things you could eat before other things” or “things you could eat after some other stuff or maybe with stuff.”  This is amusing for about ten seconds.  But once everyone has chuckled over the novelty and the low blood sugar starts to set in, you really just end up wishing you knew where to look to order a substantial meal.

With options such as burgers, pasta, and cheese plates, Stone Brewery could best be described as American cuisine. I have had a cheeseburger and tomato-mozzarella pasta there.  The food is filling and tasty but not especially memorable.  It is also a bit on the pricey side, but not obscene.  Expect to pay about twelve dollars for a burger.

This brings us to the beer.  Unlike the food menu, the beer menu is abundantly clear.  There is absolutely no question in your mind as to what Stone Brewery has to offer in this arena.  For a local brewery, the sheer number of house beers that they offer is very impressive.  In the stores, Stone only offers about five or six different types of beer for purchase.  The restaurant offers well over twenty.  If not for the food, this alone would be a good reason to visit Stone Brewery more than once.

After one or two of their beers, any agitation you may have felt about how long it took for you to get a table or for a server to come and take your food order usually melts away and you find yourself enjoying the experience.  Even the Stone Brewery golf balls start to look more appealing as you weave your way back through the gift shop.

Stone Brewery could be compared to Casa De Bandini or The Cheesecake Factory.  Quite simply, you go to these types of restaurants because they are a crowded ordeal.  There are plenty of places where you could walk in and be instantly seated.  If speed is a concern, there are always drive-through or pick-up food establishments.  You eat at Stone Brewery to have an evening activity.